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Don Cherry attempts to shame immigrants for not buying poppies

kyle cantlon
Writer

When Don Cherry hits the airwaves every Saturday night, a lot of people, unfortunately, listen.

The 85-year-old hockey broadcaster and personality said on his weekly Coach's Corner segment that he's seeing less and less people honouring fallen Canadian soldiers by wearing poppies anymore, specifically singling out Toronto, the GTA and the many immigrants and children of immigrants that comprise the region.

This dude has a platform nationally, both on Hockey Night in Canada and the NHL Network in the US, and this week he once again used that influence to peddle some hate towards immigrants, specifically those who he feels — based on his own eye-test research, of course — aren’t buying poppies around Remembrance Day. A baseless, numbskull claim, as per usual.

“You people... love our way of life, love our milk and honey. At least you could pay a couple of bucks for poppies or something like that. These guys paid for your way of life that you enjoy in Canada.”

A lot going on there, especially with the animosity in Don’s tone. Does he know for a fact how many immigrants or children of immigrants buy or wear poppies? Does he know how many of these “you people” families donate to this cause or other important ones?

Does he realize how many immigrants fought alongside Canadians in the World Wars? Does he know exactly how each Canadian chooses to show their gratitude and support those that have sacrificed?

Of course he doesn’t, he’s a buffoon. Some of these responses will shed a bit of light on just the type of chord Don struck among many Canadians last night.

One quick search of Don Cherry on Twitter and you’ll see hundreds of posts just like these, from well-known media personalities and politicians, to teachers and factory workers and children of veterans. A lot of animosity toward these comments are coming Don’s way from all sorts of demographics.

Cherry is trending on Twitter this morning and many people are calling for his firing, although it seems unlikely that it’ll happen.

Welp, that just about does it for this week’s lunacy. Catch you all next Saturday when Don inevitably goes off about something else without basis or any context whatsoever. A weekly tradition in Canadian households from coast-to-coast.

UPDATE: Sportsnet released a statement apologizing for Cherry’s remarks:

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